


Coles to Newcastle

by lefttowriteinAO3 (left_to_write)



Series: The Coles of Newcastle [1]
Category: 55 Degrees North
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-06
Updated: 2019-03-06
Packaged: 2019-11-08 09:28:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17978762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/left_to_write/pseuds/lefttowriteinAO3
Summary: Dominic 'Nicky' Cole, is a charismatic black detective who brings his family (uncle Errol, and nephew Matty) to Newcastle after being transferred from his London post for reporting a corrupt senior officer.At first he is not made to feel welcome and is stuck on the night shift, but in time he wins over his new co-workers through his winsome charm, diligence, integrity and success at solving crimes. Romance also enters his life in the form of Claire Maxwell, a solicitor with the Crown Prosecution Service who work closely with the local police.This story is based on a wonderful, though not very well-known, show that ran for two series but was unexpectedly discontinued. I needed a happy ending to round it all off.Disclaimer: the characters and story of '55 Degrees North' are the property of creator/writer Timothy Prager, distributor Zenith North, and the BBC [Scotland].





	Coles to Newcastle

**Author's Note:**

> This piece is actually a complete re-write of the last story of the same title. I was not happy with what I had previously written, so have done it very differently this time.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nicky looks back - and ahead.

 

 

 

Nicky was in pensive mood. Looking out over the water between the two long piers, he reflected on his three and a half year journey to his present situation and marvelled at the wonder of it.

Who could have imagined that after his ignominious [through no fault of his own] transfer from the Metropolitan Police in London to the local - indeed somewhat provincial (although they would have hated to hear it described as such) - Tyneside Police in Newcastle/Gateshead, Detective Sergeant Dominic 'Nicky' Cole would be the new boy come good?

A beautiful new house, an even more beautiful new partner, a fantastic blended family and a job promotion, to boot. It seemed too good to be true, but it was true and, God willing, it was as secure as life allows.

It would be a little while before the others got back, so he just took the time to admire the view of the beach and the sea, and to contemplate the most memorable times since his arrival in Newcastle upon Tyne.

 

Nicky recalled his first experience of a police welcome as he was pulled over by Officers Rick Astel and Martin Clark almost as soon as he'd arrived. They most certainly shouldn't have stopped him just for being a stranger and a black man driving a 'flash' car, but his smart-ass retorts to Rick hadn't helped.

He wasn't going to identify himself as a Detective Sergeant because he wanted to see how they would handle the situation and he knew that the moment he revealed his profession - and his rank - they would behave differently. He didn't want preferential treatment; he wanted to see what the local cops were really like with the general public at large.

When it came to reporting Rick for kicking in the brake light, Nicky had wisely judged that: 1) it would be better to keep that up his sleeve for any future interactions/relations with Sergeant Astel, if necessary; and 2) having just been moved out of the Met for squealing on a colleague (albeit wholly justifiably), he shrewdly calculated that it wouldn't be helpful to him to report another brother officer the moment he was starting his new job.

Such discretion had paid off in spades, of course, just as Nicky had guessed it might. Dear Rick; not a racist or a bully really, just a bit of a hothead who'd made a very bad decision in the heat of the moment but who, as one of the few fellow coppers that Nicky could really trust, would turn out to be one of his best mates. Nicky was glad he'd agreed to Rick's request for that CID attachment with him. Together they made a good team, helped also by idealistic young Clarky and feisty Katherine 'Brookesy' Brookes.

There were definite benefits too; he'd made a new friend in Naz Ahmed, son of the owners of the delicious kebab restaurant, another character with whom he had once sparred, but who had proved - with Nicky's help and encouragement - to be more courageous than he himself had expected, and whose testimony had taken down a vicious mobster.

Even the initially gruff Detective Sergeant Frank Maguire had ultimately relaxed and proven himself to be a good and trustworthy colleague.

Ah yes, the lovely guys (and gals) that Nicky had made friends with through work.....

Well, Detective Sergeant Patrick Yates, however, was another matter entirely. Cautiously cordial at first, Paddy had grown jealous of Nicky's success rate and protective of his own perceived prospects of promotion. A weasel to be sure, and Nicky smiled when he remembered how he had called Paddy's bluff to strip off during the undercover sting operation to close down the local brothel/protection racket. Nicky, in typical fashion, turned everything to his advantage, outsmarting Paddy and most of the others by actually solving the case.

It was more than tragic that Paddy had taken a wrong turn and was now paying the price for his corruption by continuing to serve his five year stretch (time off for helping the Prosecution) as a guest of Her Majesty. Nicky, whom Paddy had reluctantly set up but then ultimately saved, was the only member of the Tyneside team who visited him.

And if nothing else, it had certainly peaked the interest of Sergeant Brookes and, much more significantly, Claire Maxwell, the lovely and self-possessed Crown Prosecution Service solicitor, and soon-to-be ex-lover of barrister James Wren (now the late James Wren after his death in a tragic motor accident).

 

Watching the boats navigating through the entrance to the Tyne between the North and South Piers, Nicky turned his thoughts to his nearest and dearest.

Sweet Matty, now coming up to twelve years old and as delightful and loyal a son as any father could wish for. The fact that Matthew 'Matty' Cole was actually Nicky's nephew almost didn't figure in Nicky's mind. Ever since his brother Adam had got himself into serious trouble with his [then] life of crime, and Matty's mother, Tina, had proved herself incapable of looking after a small child, so beset was she with her own problems and drug abuse, Nicky had taken on little Matty and cared for him as his own son.

Enter uncle Errol to the rescue for the second time in Nicky's life. When his and Adam's father had passed away and left their mother with her hands too full to manage by herself, her own brother Errol had stepped in and filled the role of father figure, giving much needed guidance to the growing - and rambunctious - boys. Adam may have later chosen a wrong path in life, but he'd left behind a wonderful gift: three year old Matty.

So, once again, loyal Errol had stepped up to the plate. Looking after young Matty when Nicky was at work, what a wise and affectionate grandfatherly figure for the small lad he had been - and still was. Having had no direct family of his own, Errol's mission in life seemed to be to take other young kids under his wing and mould them into caring and responsible citizens.

Nicky marvelled as well at how unchanged Errol remained even after romance had entered his world later in life in the form of attractive neighbour, Georgina Hodge. Georgina, whom Nicky had once uncharitably called "the neighbour from hell', had evolved into a mainstay in their lives, a practical and emotional anchor for Errol and the boys.

Foster mum extraordinaire, Georgina was naturally maternal, even if she hadn't been able to have children of her own. In fostering the young tearaway, Michael Milburn, aka 'Mikey' and 'Ratty', her importance in their lives had grown exponentially. Now she and Michael were part of the family.

Worried at first about the possible effects on Matty of having the streetwise young thief Mikey under their roof, Nicky had gradually softened in his opposition to Errol's suggestion of offering him a home and after just over a year together, Matty regarded Mikey (or 'Ratty', as he affectionately dubbed him), as the brother he'd never had. The feeling was mutual; after all, Mikey had needed the company of kids close to his own age, not as fellow burglars manipulated by wicked adults, but for genuine friendship and fun. Their interests were similar and they were less than two years apart in age.

Nicky sighed with satisfaction. It really couldn't have turned out better, and he was truly grateful. And now, there was to be even more blessing in his seemingly charmed existence.

For Claire Maxwell, the love of his life and without doubt the most desirable woman he had ever known, had agreed to come and be with him and the rest of the remarkable brood. It was all the more amazing considering that the beauteous Claire was a fiercely independent and strong-willed young woman who, although essentially kind and intelligent, could, it had to be admitted, also be rather stubborn and opinionated on occasion. That she was willing to take them on made Nicky love her all the more. 

Claire, for her part, thought it was rather wonderful that Nicky was prepared to throw in his lot with not only her, but with a baby who was not his own, and a mother whom she undoubtedly loved but found rather exasperating at times. So, presumably, that made them kind of even.  

One of the minor (or was it major?) miracles of the whole extraordinary scenario was the relationship between Claire's mother, Jocelyn, and Georgina. Both Nicky and Errol had quietly feared that the two women who were of similar ages but apparently quite different personalities might clash. Well, marvelled Nicky for the umpteenth time, they needn't have worried because the indomitable pair had hit it off almost straight away and continued to get on like a house on fire.

Georgina had introduced Jocelyn to golf and to her circle of friends at the local club, while Jocelyn had taught Georgina all manner of things Irish, most notably the Irish jig. Errol was particularly pleased that Jocelyn had clicked with Georgina's golfing pals since that meant she no longer tried to drag him along.  

The logistics were not without challenge, obviously. After all, they were to be an extended family of at least seven people, including baby Emmy. Emmy may be barely a toddler now, he realised, but she would grow up and need her own space as all children eventually do.

Matty, for instance, had chosen to decorate his room with Fulham posters, scarves and other memorabilia, while Mikey was strictly a Newcastle United fan. Relatively minor details aside, finding a house that was large enough to accommodate such a motley crew, and which was affordable, was a task that Errol and Georgina, in particular, tackled with considerable gusto. They were longing for them all to be together, but there was no question that the well-being of both Matty and Michael had to be the number one priority for them and Nicky.

For Nicky, Claire's joining them was to be the icing on the cake, and memories of those early days with Claire came flooding back.

When they met, Claire had been cool, somewhat slick even, the consummate professional. If the truth be told, Nicky's first impression of her had not been very favourable. He'd regarded her as cold, a little calculating and definitely lacking in the human touch. She had seemed to him at that time the embodiment of the stereotypical ruthless lawyer. He distinctly remembered her advising him to distance himself from the people in his cases by regarding them as "just files." To Nicky, nobody was “just a file"; he or she was a human being, whether living or dead, loved or unloved.

Fortunately, he fairly soon discovered that this chilly demeanour was just a front. Underneath, Claire was warm and passionate, surprisingly lonely and, he suspected, even a little afraid of life. She had become physically involved with a married man, but she was not emotionally involved. Getting to know Nicky and observe him at work: his passion for justice and his determination to do the right thing by all, had opened her eyes to a better way as she reconnected with her own humanity.

Discovering that she was pregnant by barrister and colleague, James Wren, had come as a huge shock to her and she surprised even herself by determining to keep the baby. Perhaps it was her developing friendship with Nicky, or perhaps it was simply the new reality of being an expectant mother, but something or someone had caused Claire to reassess her life. She didn't love James; in fact, she didn't even like him all that much, particularly when she discovered that he had tried to get rid of Nicky by smearing his reputation with lies about his supposedly being "corrupt."

(The late Detective Inspector [Dennis] Carter's 'test' of Nicky's honesty that had compounded the problem had been an unhappy coincidence.)   

For Nicky's part, he had been conflicted about Claire after his initial reserve towards her began to melt. He was not a judgmental person, but he couldn't help being slightly repelled by her affair with a married man, and a much older one at that. He may have even regarded it as a bit of a character flaw, considering he had been raised by a morally upright mother and uncle. (Adam's going off the rails, although of a different nature, was also abhorrent to him).

Nevertheless, their undeniable attraction to each other had prevailed, and when Claire had made it clear in no uncertain terms that she found him desirable, Nicky had been very pleasantly surprised. And then she had come through for him and proven her loyalty in defending him against the false accusations that had unexpectedly managed to reach the Chief Superintendent's ears. Yes, beyond the professional gloss, Claire Maxwell was the real deal and Nicky Cole had fallen for her.

Claire could, however, also be elusive and contrary, in spite of her obvious feelings for Nicky. She could be mischievous and unpredictable, and he hadn't been used to that. He didn't particularly appreciate it either, so they'd spent the best part of two years playing the romantic version of cat and mouse. It wasn't always clear which of them was the cat and which one was the mouse at any given time, but it sort of added to the excitement. 

Sometimes, though, work got in the way and there was literally little or no time for a social life, let alone a dalliance.

 

Nicky then found his thoughts wandering back to a slightly more recent time when, approximately six months before, the big local buzz was that the Council had agreed to permit some development of its seafront land very near to where they were living. Some old properties had had to be torn down anyway given the state they were in, and a developer was allowed to buy a few more acres adjacent to them for a limited number of housing plots.

Nicky could still picture in his mind's eye the excitement with which Georgina had taken Errol aside one Saturday morning and conveyed this news. Clearly the woman had an ulterior motive in telling him all about it, and not just a desire to share a nugget of local gossip.

The pair of them had broached the subject as soon as the boys had gone out front to fly their kite and the adults could talk freely.

"Nicky," Errol had started. Nicky raised his head with a knowing look in his eye. They were most definitely up to something. Well, better get it out now.

"Yes, Errol," he'd replied. "What is it?" Then, looking from his uncle to Georgina, Nicky had continued, "What are you two up to?" On a different occasion he might have suspected them of building up to telling him they were getting married or some other such bombshell, but the context was wrong. Georgina had obviously learned something earlier that day and she'd been dying to share it with Errol. Now, it seems, they were keen to share it with Nicky.

Errol took the lead. "Georgina heard this morning that the Council gave its final approval for NorthEast Construction to build a small new collection of homes on that parcel of land just down the coast and including the site of those rickety old buildings that should have been pulled down ages ago. Well, we thought we might make some inquiries into what the plans or designs are and how much they're gonna cost."

Whatever it was Nicky might have been expecting them to say, he had not been expecting that. Somewhat startled, he opened his eyes wide. "You mean you're planning on moving??" he asked, trying to keep his voice calm. "What about Matty and me? Or Michael? You want to move him away from Matty?" Nicky was incredulous.

"No, no - " began Georgina in protest. Nicky had clearly misunderstood.

"Calm yourself, boy," boomed Errol, interrupting her good-naturedly. "We weren't talking about moving _away_ from you and Matty, we were talking about moving _with_ you. You know, all of us together in a nice new home."

Nicky was stunned. Oddly enough, that had never occurred to him and he closed his gaping jaw. He could only manage a subdued, "Oh." He did need to take it in but the idea didn't sound as daft to him as it might have done a few months previously.

"That's if the designs are suitable and attractive, of course," added Georgina quickly.

"And affordable," chimed in Errol. He was neither unaware nor unappreciative of the fact that it was Nicky who had been the breadwinner these past several years and, although Errol had indeed been playing a vital role in keeping the family together and looking after Matty when Nicky had to work, it was nevertheless Nicky's salary that had made up the lion's share of their household income and Errol couldn't simply go and make any big financial decisions on his own.

"Right..." said Nicky, somewhat hesitantly. It wasn't really such a bad idea after all, provided there could be the kind of space to allow them sufficient privacy and keep them from feeling as if they were all living on top of one another. He knew that property was at a premium - especially ones with a view -  and that the tendency for modern developers was to squeeze in as many residences as possible in all but the most exclusive developments. That was usually the only way to keep the prices attainable for all but the most affluent buyers.

"So," he continued, "if they are building any houses that would be large enough and that we could actually afford, I guess it wouldn't hurt to look into it," he conceded.

"I could sell my house," volunteered Georgina helpfully, "and hopefully that would go a reasonable way towards the cost of a new one."

The house that Nicky, Errol and Matty had been living in since their relocation to Newcastle over three years before had been rented. Nicky had had to get out of London fairly quickly and he also didn't at that time know the area in or around Newcastle at all well, so renting had been the obvious solution. Later there might be an opportunity to buy, but somehow it had never really become a priority. 

Nicky realised that he had actually let things drift a bit, not that he or the others were in any way unhappy about things. But he could see that renting indefinitely might end up being less economical for them in the long run, so the least he could do would be to keep an open mind about the possibilities of buying. He conceded as much out loud.

"That's the spirit," purred Errol with satisfaction. Nicky was already being flexible enough to consider their proposition; Errol believed it wouldn't be long before he was convinced. That was, provided they really could find a suitable property. But at least Nicky wasn't discounting the suggestion of 'togetherness' out of hand.

Sensing that there would be a lot of interest in the new proposed housing development, Errol and Georgina had decided to waste no time, so they had taken themselves off to the estate agents in town who were handling the promotion and sales of the new homes that were soon to go up.

Promising to bring back a brochure or whatever information was available, they'd dashed off delightedly, leaving Nicky shaking his head and chuckling to himself. Then he joined the boys who were still flying their kite on the expanse of grass in front of the house. 

Two hours later, and the love birds were back. The eternally bubbly Georgina was as excitable as ever, and even Errol had an expression of enthusiasm and barely contained eagerness on his own face. Nicky smiled and greeted them with the words, "I take it you met with success? You certainly look pleased with yourselves."

Waving a glossy brochure they had been given by the estate agent in charge of the new residential 'park', Georgina spoke first.

"Oh Nicky, you should have seen it! There were all kinds of drawings; you know, artist's impressions, of the houses - and some apartments - and even a small model to give a better idea of the overall shape and dimensions of it all."

"Here," Errol joined in, handing Nicky the brochure/folder with which the agent had supplied them. "Have a look for yourself. I think they're going to be very nice houses. Very nice indeed."

Nicky had a quick perusal through the booklet. The photographs, sketches and computer generated images were pretty darned impressive, he had to admit.

"Well? Aren't they nice, pet?" Typical Geordie that she was, 'pet' was Georgina's favourite term of endearment. "I fell in love with them the moment I saw them," she continued.

"They do look attractive, yes," agreed Nicky. "Ah, now we come to the prices. I was wondering when I was going to see those," he went on, with some trepidation.

"As you would expect, they're not cheap," conceded Errol, "but with our combined resources, we were hoping it might be possible."

Nicky looked back at his uncle. Apart from the time the previous year when they had travelled to London to get Matty back from his father and to ask for Adam's forgiveness regarding the dreadful misunderstanding over Jade's [medical] marijuana, Nicky couldn't recall seeing Errol look pleadingly before. He wasn't looking soppy or pitiful; merely exceptionally keen on the prospect of them all making a new (and very smart, judging by the pictures in the agent's brochure) home together.

Nicky understood how much this meant to Errol. He had come from a large family in the West Indies and craved companionship; he also loved the sea and while no sane person would ever mistake the cold North Sea for the clear blue/green warmth of the Caribbean, it was the closest he was going to come to it here on the North Eastern coast of England.

It was also evident that this was a limited time offer; the chance wouldn't likely come round again in any kind of hurry. Indeed, it was only possible at all because land had been sold and special permission given for a small new cluster of homes to be added. Nicky took a deep breath: it was probably now or never.

Georgina and Errol, who had been closely studying Nicky's face and body language throughout the exchange, began to feel hopeful.

Nodding slowly, Nicky said, "Well, I'd have to study this information in more detail and particularly with regard to making sure we could really afford it, but I admit these plans do look very appealing. Let's be honest, though. We don't want to end up somewhere that seems small and pokey once we're all in there together, feeling like we're constantly about to bump into each other. That would be quite irritating to all of us, don't you think?"

Of course Errol and Georgina had considered that as well, and were ready with their next answer.

"Oh of course, Nicky, you're absolutely right. Errol has checked the dimensions on the floorplans and the area of at least one of the houses shouldn't be too bad, I think," Georgina said in a bit of a rush.

 _Boy oh boy, are they keen or what?_ Nicky was resigning himself to the probable outcome.

"The really great thing," emphasised Errol very carefully, "is that one of the houses in particular would probably suit us down to the ground. It is an end house, which means a little more privacy from neighbours but also the potential for an extension one day, if necessary. At least, that's what the agent said."

"You've thought of everything, haven't you?" replied Nicky, shaking his head. "We need to know if we can even afford one of these houses in the first place; we can't jump too far ahead and start imagining extra building work, can we?"

"No, no," protested Errol, a little on the defensive now. "I'm just saying that I think it might be worth considering if we're concerned that space might be an issue. These four bedroom houses have good size bedrooms and the end model there," he pointed to the grandest of the house designs, "for example, has quite a large living room with adjoining dining room/study. The boys could have their own rooms and the living space will be fairly open plan like here, only a lot larger, so it would feel quite spacious, not cramped..."

 

And so it had gone on. Nicky grinned to himself. Errol and Georgina had been persuasive in the extreme and, thank God, they had been proved right. Happily, the boys had been easy to enthuse, especially Matty, once he had been reassured that he would carry on going to the same school and would still be near his friends.

The financial aspect had been analysed, debated and checked to within nearly an inch of its life, and a manageable mortgage negotiated which, combined with the proceeds of Georgina's seafront house, could comfortably cover the cost of buying the coveted end house whose praises the agents had sung, and of which Errol had been so enamoured.

But the real clincher had been Claire. Incredibly, Errol's prophetic suggestion about an extension at the side of the house was nearly on target. However, it had worked out even better because the progress of Nicky and Claire's relationship brought her very much into the equation. Deciding at last to commit to Nicky for the future, she had agreed to be included in the collective venture.

Thus, before building was completed, adjustments were made to the house plans, and an additional structure was built to the side of the property, just as Errol had described. It was perhaps a modern version of a 'granny annexe', only it was for Claire, Nicky and Emmy. They would have their own wing, but it was still very much an integral, fully accessible part of the whole house.

Comprising two quite generous size bedrooms, a bath/shower room, and a spacious open plan kitchen/lounge/diner, it was the perfect complement to the rest of the house. Nicky could still be close to Matty, and Claire could have some 'space' and not feel as if she were living on top of the Cole/Hill clan.

Claire had once again sold her home and paid for the new extension from the sale. She had also made a substantial contribution to her mother's new home, not far from where she, Nicky and the rest of that household would be. Jocelyn proved invaluable in helping to look after Emmy and enjoyed taking her for walks along the sea front where she was often joined by Georgina and sometimes Errol and the boys, too.

So, here they all were at last and it was shaping up to be as good as its promise. Seated in the main living area and looking out the magnificent window at the de-facto harbour ahead, Nicky was more than delighted that he had listened to his uncle again; the house was lovely and, even though they had only been there a couple of weeks, was everything they could have wished for. 

 

 Just then, the front door opened and in piled Georgina, Jocelyn, Errol, Matty and Mikey. They beamed at Nicky.

"Were you successful?" he asked.

"Oh yes," came the collective reply. "Everything went like a charm," chirped Georgina. "I couldn't believe how well it went. I was sure that something wouldn't fit or be right."

"And our sales assistant was so lovely and helpful, wasn't she?" added Jocelyn.

"Absolutely perfect," agreed Georgina.

"Cool," said Nicky. "What about you guys?" He turned to Errol and the boys.

"Yeah, it was alright," answered Matty. "Felt kind of weird, though."

Mikey concurred. "Yeah, I never wore nothing like that before." His broad Geordie accent shone through.

"It'll only be for a day," Errol reminded them. "Then we take them back to the hire shop and that's it."

"Why didn't you come with us?" Matty asked Nicky. "I thought we all had to go together?"

"Well, I wanted to do it by myself," Nicky replied with a hint of embarrassment.

"Your uncle is self-conscious," explained Errol. "He's also nervous. It's not every day that you choose what you're gonna wear for your wedding now, is it?" He winked at Matty.

Georgina smiled sweetly. "I think he's a bit shy, actually."

Nicky blushed. Well, she was probably right there.

"After all," chimed in Jocelyn, "Claire's looking for her outfit separately, too. Funny how they're all shy and self-conscious now. Or maybe it's just secretive." She and Georgina exchanged conspiratorial smiles.

"Oh, she'll look stunning. Well, she's a beautiful girl, anyway. Just think, only a few weeks to go. I can hardly wait."

Nicky was starting to feel a little uncomfortable with everyone discussing his forthcoming nuptials, particularly as it had been a rather hurried engagement. He changed the subject.

"Who's for pizza tonight?" he asked.

"Me!" cried Matty.

"I am," answered Ratty.

"Don't you want us to cook?" asked Errol.

"I thought you might like a break, seeing as you've been hard at shopping. That can be quite tiring in itself, can't it?" Nicky replied.

"Yeah, alright. We can cook another time," Errol agreed.

As if on cue, Claire arrived back from her morning in town. She hadn't wanted to go shopping with Jocelyn because she wanted to choose her clothes by herself, without her mother's input or opinion or, indeed, without Georgina's either.

"How did it go, darling?" gushed Jocelyn.

"Fine, Mum. Thanks." That was all Claire was prepared to say about it, at least in present company. After all, it wouldn't do to discuss your wedding dress in front of the groom. She would tell her mum more later, when they were alone.

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                


End file.
